[oreoz=P~]

heyhey!

just wondering if anyone who live in college residences could help me/give me some tips on something =). ill be experiencing 'dorm' living for the first time next semester, and its going to be in one of those 'suite' types where u share with 2-4 people, share bathroom, shared fridge etc but we all get separate rooms. sooo..i was wondering, obviously when you meet the roomies for the first time, we'll all be strangers and we all try to be nice and get to know each other. if we're lucky we'll all 'click' and get along; if we're not, the semester will be difficult etc etc. so for those who live/d in this type of residence, how did you first make suggestions and bring up the topic on the division of things like: cleaning (bathrooms; kitchens...); food issues (like..not eating what others bought which in in the fridge) and so on??
and how do u do this without offending people who uve just met, or for them to think ur a total idiot?

sorry for the long topic, but im kinda curious cuz ive never lived on residence b4.
ta~!

**i saw a movie once and they actually labeled each other's eggs individually with their name and same with milk and all that (the egg one i thought was funny...does that REALLY happen?? **

edit: do suite style residences have room locks? like, not for the entire suite, but for ur own room? just wondering cos of luggage/laptops and all that

[thealmightyGOD]

Split up sections. Like you get this part of the fridge to put your stuff. This cabinet is for your stuff and this other one is mine. And its pretty much if you didn't buy it don't eat it or ask.

[lilaznhunnie]

I'm currently living in one of those suite types of dorms.

First off, you and your roommate need to get used to each other. Learn about him/her and if possible, befriend your roommate or at least be on good terms with your roommate as soon as possible. I remember after I became close to my roommate after about 3 weeks.. (we are complete opposites) then we started to venture off and started talking with out suitemates. I think its important to build some sort of connection with your roommate first.

For me, what ended up happening was (with the "whats mine and what's yours" situation) was all of us just shared everything. Whenever we brought food or other stuff from home, as long as you ask first, you are free to eat whatever. If that isn't the type of person you or your suitemates are then what you should do is just put a sign on the fridge saying " Please do not eat food that is not yours." It's to the point and gets the job done without you verbally having to say anything at all. And because you and your suitemates will all be complete strangers.. it should not be offensive because I'm sure that they would want the same.

However because a suite is so small and personal, I highly doubt that there will be any fight over that sort of stuff because you guys will probably end up becoming good friends.

Yeah, i wondered that type of stuff too before I came to live here, but I never really even had to bring it up. hahaha. just go with the flow. Yeah I know it sounds gay but its true. don't worry too much beforehand.

I hope this helps ""

[::kitty::]

first off i gotta say suites were nice cuz you don't have to have a community bathroom and for my school at least you still had a lady that cleans the restroom for you :]

i got along with my suitemates really well. i had 7 other girls in the suite and i still got along with all and got really really close to half of them. half the time i didn't see them cuz everyones off doing all sorts of things.

for the restroom, the 4 rooms took turns bringing soap for our 2 restrooms, etc. if we needed something from each other we'd leave a friendly post-it in the restroom cuz not everyone's in their rooms all the time ;] like a reminder for soap, or if the chain on the toilet is broken, etc. there was once a problem with using other ppl's towels (and making it dirty too eekk) so another post-it was used lol. for food, my roomie had the top shelf and i had the bottom and we didn't touch each other's food but always asked if you needed something.

be sure you're on good terms with your suitemates and roommate :] i miss them lots but i'm keeping in touch with them so it's all good :]

oh yeah, ppl in apartments tend to use "rules" like after using the dishes wash them immediately, if you blah blah blah, then blah blah blah.

i hope you'll enjoy living in the dorms as much as i did :] good luck to you!

[joosie]

i strongly suggest that when you guys get to know each other a bit more
(maybe after a week)
you guys get together and decide how you will split up who will clean what, who will take out the garbage,
and who will do the dishes (usually people did their own dishes)
my friends and their suitemates took turns every week cleaning different things (bathroom, kitchen, etc.)
and usually.. stealing of other people's food is not common
a lot of my friends and their suitemates shared a lot of things
(such as cereal, salt/pepper, water, etc.)
if your suitemates are nice, respectable people, they wouldn't touch something that's not theirs
unless they ask whoever it belongs to


i just finished my freshman year in college,
and i lived in a suite.. sharing it with 3 other people..
two international students straight from korea, and one white girl
our mistake was that we never discussed any of the things i said up there ^
so it was a very horrible year living in a dorm for me..

during the middle of the school year
my suitemate ate one of my ramyun without asking (i know it's only ramyun, but still;)
and hid the ramyun packaging in the bottom of the garbage can so i wouldnt know
after that i just put up a sign on the cabinets/fridge saying "please don't take other people's food"
and they didn't take my food after that

they also NEVER cleaned their mess up in the bathroom or kitchen
so my roommate and i always ended up cleaning everything
and they never did their dishes until like a week or two after (and the sink smelled so bad)


so don't be afraid to talk to your suitemates because you won't be offending them
because it's for the benefit of all of you guys
and it will definitely make your dorming year more enjoyable

[oreoz=P~]

thanks for all the tips! they all seem really useful and ill be sure to keep them in mind for sure. i hope i do get along with my soomies though, cuz u kno what they say about 'the first two minnutes u meet a person can shape the entire time u have to live with them...' and all that...ahh it will be bad to live with roomies who dont help with cleaning anything..=/

also, i should have added this to my original post, but do suite styl residences have room locks? like, not for the entire suite, but for ur own room? just wondering cos of luggage/laptops and all that

=D thanks!! have a good summer for those getting into their summer breaks!

[rich.paekk]

Yeah im in a double 8-person flat so how is that supposed to work out?

[::kitty::]

^we had a card that was the "key"
the main suite door lets all 8 open it. after that, it's programmed to only allow your roommate and yourself to get into your room :]
(a suitemate was locked out and tried my card on her own door--didn't work)
also, you might get a key to your own closet. so nobody has access to your closet except you :]

oo for extra security, don't forget to get a laptop lock! if somebody left the suitedoor open (almost every suite had their door open for visiters ) and you left your door open to visit someone or to use the restroom, some stranger COULD come in and take your laptop. can happen in the library too so watch out with that too. usually ppl are nice and don't really do that, but better safe than sorry.

also, for me it was awkward at first in meeting everyone cuz well it's a new experience for everyone. i felt outta place during the first few days but that's what it's like for everyone so dont' worry ok? :]

[HappiiBooger]

Yeah im in a double 8-person flat so how is that supposed to work out?

i lived in an 8 person suite also, it wasn't as bad as it seemed, the suite was split, in the middle was the living room/kitchen and on each side of the suite were the rooms for us. What we did was we set up the rules after we got acquainted with each other, such as clean up your hair after you shower, throw out your shizz. And we basically taped up the rules on the walls. It worked out pretty good. And we had cleaning days every other week, so our suite wasn't disgusting.

What was annoying is.... 8 people living in a suite, you will definately have people over ALL the TIME. So it really sucked when i had 8am classes and my suitemates didnt and they would be out talking in the living room til like 3am. The walls are thin, so i can practically hear everything. Sucks but i just got annoyed at some point and talked it out with them and told them about my morning classes. After that they didnt have friends over til like 4am like they usually do..


so seriously COMMUNICATE, don't get aggravated and never tell them whats wrong. Tell them and find a solution and don't be embarassed to say, "throw your dam tampons in the garbage!"

[cheeky_anjie]

i'm gonna be living with 5 other girls.. so there's 6 of us in a suite... but if im not mistaken there's a fridge in every room... everything up there helps..

btw.. is it necessary to get a footlocker?

and one more thing.. when u moved-in on campus.. do u have a lot of stuff with you? like how many boxes u have.. or bags... it's my first time living on campus too.. so im really sorry if i sound soo weird or whatever..